Cherry laurel plant named ‘JOPRU2’

ABSTRACT

A new cherry laurel plant particularly distinguished by having an obovate shape with a broad upright habit, a high vigor and growth rate, and yellow-green to green foliage, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Prunus laurocerasus.

Variety denomination: ‘JOPRU2’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of cherrylaurel plant, botanically known as Prunus laurocerasus, and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘JOPRU2’. ‘JOPRU2’ originated from anopen-pollination conducted in Biezenmortel, The Netherlands, in July2011 between un-named and unpatented Prunus laurocerasus parent plants.

The seeds from the open-pollination were sown and plants were grownoutdoors for evaluation, where an individual plant designated ‘JOPRU2’was selected from the group of plants in Biezenmortel, The Netherlands,in 2013. In November 2017, ‘JOPRU2’ was first vegetatively propagated bysoftwood cuttings. ‘JOPRU2’ was found to reproduce true to type insuccessive generations of asexual propagation via softwood cuttings.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Biezenmortel, The Netherlands.

-   -   1. An obovate shape with a broad upright habit;    -   2. A high vigor and growth rate; and    -   3. Yellow-green to green foliage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This new cherry laurel plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form,and foliage. The photographs are of a 4.5-year-old plant grown outdoorsin Biezenmortel, The Netherlands and taken in May 2022. The colors shownare as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of ‘JOPRU2’.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the new growth.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of an individual leaf.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘JOPRU2’. The data which define these characteristicswere collected from asexual reproductions carried out in TheNetherlands. Data was collected on 4.5-year-old plants grown outdoors inBiezenmortel, The Netherlands in May 2022. The range of day temperatureswas 14° C. to 24° C. and the range of night temperatures was 4° C. to12° C. Plants were deeply pruned in late October 2020 and late October2021. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 6^(th) edition (2015).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Rosaceae.        -   Botanical.—Prunus laurocerasus.        -   Common.—Cherry laurel; English laurel.        -   Designation.—‘JOPRU2’.-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Perennial, evergreen shrub.        -   Time to produce a finished plant.—About 2 years from rooted            cuttings to a sale-ready plant in a 2.5-liter container.        -   Appropriate container for producing a finished            plant.—2.5-liter pots and larger or field-grown.        -   Plant shape.—Obovate.        -   Growth habit.—Broad upright.        -   Average plant height.—87.8 cm.        -   Average plant diameter.—85.3 cm.        -   Growth rate.—High.        -   Vigor.—High.        -   High temperature tolerance.—Unknown, but tolerant to            temperatures up to 35° C.        -   Low temperature tolerance.—About −13° C., but at least hardy            to USDA Zone 7.        -   Disease/pest resistance and susceptibility.—Similar to            other P. laurocerasus varieties.        -   Tolerance to wind.—High.-   Branches:    -   -   Habit.—Main stems grow from the base and near the base, with            lateral branches.        -   Basal branching.—Present.        -   Pinching.—Not required but will improve branching.        -   Number of branches per plant.—15 primary or main branches            and 8 secondary or lateral branches.        -   Branch length (both main and lateral).—Average is 18.5 cm.        -   Branch diameter (both main and lateral).—Average is 0.4 cm.        -   Internode length (both main and lateral).—Average is 2.3 cm.        -   Appearance and shape.—Slightly glossy; current year's            lateral branches are angled and older branches are rounded.        -   Aspect.—Average angle of 45 degrees.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Color.—Immature: A blend of RHS 144A (Yellow-Green) and RHS            144B (Yellow-Green) and slightly tinged with RHS N170A            (Greyed-Orange). Mature: RHS 143A (Green). Bark and older            stems: A blend of RHS 197A (Greyed-Green) and RHS N199A            (Greyed-Brown).        -   Internode color.—Slightly darker than RHS 143A (Green).        -   Pubescence.—Absent.        -   Lenticels.—General: Stems are sparsely covered with            lenticels. Length: 0.2 mm. Diameter: 0.75 mm. Color: RHS            199C (Greyed-Brown) and RHS 199D (Greyed-Brown) on older            stems and are RHS N199C (Greyed-Brown) on bark.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement and type.—Alternate, single.        -   Number of leaves per branch.—Average is 9.        -   Shape.—Broad elliptic to oblong.        -   Aspect.—Very slightly convex.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Slightly revolute; entire or entire upper ⅓ part            sparsely and very shallowly serrate.        -   Margin undulation.—None to very slight coarsely undulate; no            lobing.        -   Length.—Average is 14.5 cm.        -   Width.—Average is 7.1 cm.        -   Texture (both upper and lower surface).—Smooth and glabrous;            no pubescence; no rugosity.        -   Appearance.—Upper surface is moderately glossy and lower            surface is matte to very slightly glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 144B (Yellow-Green).            Lower surface: A blend of RHS 144A (Yellow-Green) and RHS            146A (Yellow-Green).        -   Color.—Immature: Upper surface: RHS 175A (Greyed-Orange).            Lower surface: RHS 175C (Greyed-Orange) and fading to RHS            175D (Greyed-Orange) towards the main vein. Mature: Upper            surface: Slightly darker than a blend of RHS N137A (Green)            and RHS 147A (Yellow-Green). Lower surface: RHS 147B            (Yellow-green).        -   Petiole.—Length: Average is 0.75 cm. Diameter: Average is            0.3 cm. Color: RHS 144B (Yellow-Green) for the upper part            and a blend of RHS 143A (Green) and RHS 144A (Yellow-Green)            for the lower part. Texture: Smooth and glabrous.            Appearance: Upper part is slightly glossy and lower part is            moderately glossy. Strength: High.        -   Stipules.—General: Present on both sides of the petiole            base; stipules drop off when the leaves mature. Shape:            Lanceolate. Length: 1.4 cm. Width: 0.225 cm. Apex: Narrow            acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Coarsely shallowly serrate.            Color: Upper part is RHS 145A (Yellow-Green) to RHS 145B            (Yellow-Green) and lower part is RHS 145B (Yellow-Green).        -   Glands.—General: Present at the base of each leaf and 1            gland on each side of the main vein; the presence of these            glands is typical for P. laurocerasus varieties. Diameter:            0.8 mm. Color: RHS N199B (Grey-Brown) to RHS N199C            (Grey-Brown).        -   Fragrance.—Typical of species.-   Flowers/seed/fruit: Not observed to date.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL VARIETY

‘JOPRU2’ can be distinguished between the commercial variety ‘Jong3’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,891) in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Commercial Variety Characteristic ‘JOPRU2’‘Jong3’ Plant height 87.8 cm 72.0 cm Plant diameter 85.3 cm 74.5 cm

When ‘JOPRU2’ is compared to the un-named and unpatented Prunuslaurocerasus female parent, the young shoots of ‘JOPRU2’ are red incolor, while the young shoots of the female parent are light-green incolor. Additionally, ‘JOPRU2’ has a broad upright habit, while thefemale parent has a wide and spreading habit.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Prunus laurocerasus plantdesignated ‘JOPRU2’ as illustrated and described herein.